ECHO_2016_2.pdf

By Zechariah Sindt
Staff Writer
zechariah.sindt8464@mb.rctc.edu
Every eight years, The Higher Learning
Commission evaluates RCTC for various cri-
teria in order to maintain their accreditation.
This year the HLC report was particularly
hard-hitting.
The report says that the commission is
concerned because the college failed to meet
any of the criteria it was looking for. It men-
tions “unclear” processes, and says there has
been a lack of data collection and established
benchmarks used to inform progress and
improvements at the college.
Psychology instruc-
tor Jamie Mahlberg is
the faculty co-chair of
the Student Learning
Assessment and Teaching
Effectiveness committee
that has been set up to
work on the accreditation
issues. She says although
there are some causes
for concern, most of the
issues are currently being
addressed.
Mahlberg says that the one problem with
the latest evaluation was the fact that it was
unclear to the team who submitted the docu-
ments that they were supposed to submit
narratives with their reports. Rather, they only
submitted links to all of the data. Therefore,
the review team did not have everything they
were looking for. Mahlberg says that is cur-
rently being taken care of.
Many faculty and administrators involved
in the accreditation process agree that the
biggest hurdle has been establishing a new
assessment process that will help provide
direction for college-wide application of ef-
fective assessment practices. Vice President of
Academic Affairs Greg Mosier says that the
SLATE committee, together with the IT de-
partment, has been working on a new process
to address the assessment issues.
There are currently 20 faculty members pi-
loting a new process that will address the as-
sessment issues. They are planning a soft-roll
out for their new process during the upcoming
Spring semester. “We are right on schedule
with that,” says Mosier.
The Higher Learning Commission will be
reviewing the updated information during a
peer review scheduled for April 2017. Steve
Schmall, the Vice President of Finance and
Utilities, is part of a board that evaluates other
colleges for accreditation. He says that the
reaffirmation of RCTC’s accreditation is not
in jeopardy.
“The biggest one was assessment. We are
getting that rolling,” says Mahlberg.
THE
EchO
Rochester Community & Technical College Volume 84 - Issue 5 - FEBRUARY 2016
Alpha Nu Nursing
Honor Society
Page 11
By Rachel Halverson
Editor-in-Chief
rachel.halverson2679@mb.rctc.edu
President Leslie McClellon sent an email to the col-
lege on Dec. 17 that stated she would be resigning from
her position. Her resignation was official as of Jan. 8.
Joyce Helens, the president for St. Cloud Technical
and Community College, has stepped up to be the interim
president while the search for a new president is con-
ducted this semester.
“What’s important is for me to help a realignment in
this institution,” Helens said.
When she was introduced on campus on Jan. 8 by
Chancellor Steven Rosenstone, a reporter asked, “What
are you going to do? This place is so broken?”
Helens’ response was, “I respectfully disagree. It’s not
broken. I just think it’s out of alignment.”
She then compared the college to an orchestra and
herself as a visiting conductor. Everyone knows how to
play his or her instruments, but you need someone to help
you play it together.
“That’s all I’m going to do, and then I’m gonna go,”
she said.
While based at the main campus, Helens plans to
travel frequently to the Heintz Center.
“My door is always open,” Helens said.
When asked why the academic mace and president’s
medallion was removed from the cabinet in the Presi-
dent’s office, Helens explained that everything ever given
to the President’s Office was in the cabinet, to the point
where you couldn’t even see everything. So it has been
cleaned out, and there is now a “traveling show.” New
things will be in those showcases every semester.
“The mace was in there and that is used for com-
mencement, a once-a-year thing, so that (and the medal-
lion) is with all the graduation regalia.”
The books that have been published by the faculty
here are in the showcases now. Next semester, the new
president can put whatever they would like in there.
When asked what she thought of RCTC’s student
governance system, Helens said that students had to start
somewhere. “It occupies a different space than faculty
and staff, and it’s not all equal.”
She continues to say that it is a starting place for
students to get prepared for the real thing, but she thinks
it’s necessary for a college campus. The student govern-
ment is a good way to connect to the students, which is
something that’s needed. “Of course we’re always going
to have a lot of change, but what’s important is what
stays the same, and what stays the same is what attention
and care is given to students.”
Helens is the chair of the search committee that is
looking for a new president. She doesn’t have anyone
in mind, but the committee is being put together now.
Helens hopes to have a new president in office by July 1,
which is the start of the summer semester.
Interim president to help with ‘realignment’
Photo from MnSCU
Joyce Helens
Jamie Mahlberg
By Anne Miller
Managing Editor
anne.miller4630@mb.rctc.edu
The five winners of the Beat the
Odds Scholarships were three high
school seniors Sophia Burk, Anthony
Hofstad and Taemar Madourie, who
will be starting at RCTC this fall, and
two, first-year RCTC students, Laura
Oakgrove and Julie Wilson.
Each recipient received $2,500.
These students have overcome incred-
ible challenges and have beaten the odds
in life.
The Beat the Odds event was held on
Jan. 14 at the Rochester International
Event Center. This was the 16th annual
scholarship celebration.
Scholarship winners beat the odds
Photo by RCTC Technology Support Center
From left, Julie Wilson, Laura Oakgrove, Sophia Burk, Taemar Madourie and
Anthony Hofstad.
Accreditation team ‘gets
rolling’ for 2017 review

Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
2 NEWS
By Ben Miller
Graphics Manager/Sports Editor
benjamin.miller3947@mb.rctc.edu
The ability to expand a college can be a time consuming and tedious
process, but when you get the chance to expand and do it for the benefit of
the entire community, the process seems to move along at a faster pace.
This project began developing about 10 years ago because the Rochester
Public Schools were beginning to notice a trend where they were going to
run out of space to house all of the career and tech programs that they offer.
This new building is going to support these efforts and build a more fluid
working experience for everyone involved.
The new single story building is coming in at 17,466 square feet in size.
It has been under construction since the fall of 2014 and will be completed
in July of 2016. As of this writing, the construction process is moving along
well. They are currently doing roof work and installing the brick on the
outside of the building along with doing the electrical rough-in on the inside
of the building.
This project has been funded by the city of Rochester, which is not
unheard of in the realm of possibility, but is still rather uncommon. The
city approved to use money accrued from the city sales tax in the amount
of $6.5 million which will be used for the project. The construction of the
building has been guaranteed at the price of $5.6 million. Having the con-
tractor, as an at-risk contractor, being involved with the design process was
the reason for a guaranteed price.
Rochester Public Schools will be using the CTECH building in the form
of a tenant. They will be moving some of their career and tech programs
from the high schools into this building and the Heintz Center.
The public schools will be using the facilities during their school hours,
most likely 7 a.m.-4 p.m., after which the CTECH building will then be
available to use by RCTC, Winona State University and the community.
The CTECH building should be ready and operational for the start of the
2016 Fall Semester. This is a great opportunity for RCTC, Rochester Public
Schools, and the city of Rochester as it will give the 10th through 12th
grade students the chance to get a taste of what college is like, even if they
aren’t going to become Post-Secondary Enrollment Options students.
CTECH to open for
Rochester-area schools
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EOE/M/F/V/D
Student President Elections
will be held on April 5.
Club Day will be held from
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the atrium
on that date, and will conclude
with candidate speeches (also
in the atrium) at approximately
1:30 p.m.
The Student Senate will then
convene in a room to conduct
the election process. You can
refer to the student government
page for further information:
http://www.rctc.edu/studentlife/
studentsenate/index.html. Stu-
dents are encouraged to reach
out to the current Student Presi-
dent, a member of the Executive
Board, and/or the Director of
Student Life if they are inter-
ested in becoming a candidate
for this position.
Qualifcations for member-
ship are as follows: (Open to
any student that meets these
criteria, not just current senate
members)
1. Must be, and remain, a
student in good standing. This is
defined as carrying a minimum
of six credit hours at the begin-
ning of a term and may not drop
below three credit hours during
the term, and carrying a cumula-
tive GPA of at least 2.0
2. Students must not have
been previously removed from
the Student Senate for reasons
of conduct or character.
3. In order to be eligible for
Student President candidacy,
students must complete an
application and submit a short
essay, which must be reviewed
and approved by the Student
Life Department. Materials must
be submitted after the start of
spring semester and no later
than 30 days prior to elections
being held. This deadline would
appear to be Friday March 4 this
year.
The following are the duties
of the office as outlined in the
Student Senate Constitution
and By-laws: (alternatively you
could just provide a link to the
constitution and by-laws them-
selves if that is easier.)
1. Chair all Student Senate,
Executive Board, Senate-Cab-
inet, and Student Life Finance
Committee meetings.
2. Distribute agendas for all
Student Senate meetings by the
last day of the previous week.
3. See to the proper execu-
tion of all motions passed by the
Senate.
4. Review all committee
appointments set by the Vice
President.
5. Select students to serve on
college committees.
6. Maintain communica-
tions with the Student Senate, in
regard to matters dealing with
RCTC faculty, staff, and admin-
istration, other student senates
and the MSCSA.
7. Meet with the Director
of Student Life and the RCTC
administration on a regular basis
throughout the term.
8. Perform a minimum of ten
office hours per week.
9. Attend, or appoint a sen-
ate designee to attend monthly
MSCSA Governing Council
/ Regional meetings. Attend
MSCSA fall and spring General
Assembly meetings, National
Leadership Conference, and
report on these meetings and
assemblies to the Student Senate
by the next scheduled meeting.
10. Act as a liaison between
the Echo and the Senate.
11. Attend other college and
community events to represent
the Student Senate.
12. Speak at commencement
and other functions as assigned.
13. Follow the Standard
Operating Procedure document
for this office.
14. Follow all requirements
of Executive Board members set
forth in Article II Section 5 of
the Student Senate By-laws.
Run for student
president:
elections to come soon
RCTC students place in
college journalism awards
Echo Staff Report
Three Rochester Community
and Technical College students won
awards in the collegiate division of
the Minnesota Newspaper Associa-
tion’s 2014-2015 Better Newspaper
Contest.
Zech Sindt placed
second in govern-
ment/public affairs
reporting for his
story headlined “Are
remedial classes on
death row?” Judges
noted that “it’s not
always easy to take
esoteric policy and bring it home by
defining why people should care —
particularly college students. This
piece does a nice job of connecting
the dots and explaining the issue in
a clear and transparent way.”
Grace Boyum
placed third for
column writing and
third for business
writing. Judges
said her column,
headlined “The
movie theater has
become our modern
coliseum,” has “nice
commentary on movie violence.”
Boyum’s business story — head-
lined “Which hair product is a cut
above the rest?” — recounted an
RCTC chemistry student’s research
into the effectiveness of hair condi-
tioners.
Tracie Lee placed third in arts
and entertainment reporting for
her feature headlined “No scien-
tists needed for ‘The Local Ex-
periment,’” which profiled a locally
produced web series.
All three are 2015 RCTC gradu-
ates. Sindt, who was the Echo’s
editor in chief from October 2014
through December 2015, recently
transferred to Winona State Uni-
versity. Boyum, a staff writer and
columnist for the Echo from 2013
to 2015, is continu-
ing her education at
Southeast Missouri
State University in
Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Lee, who served
as the Echo’s editor
in chief in 2014, has
been working as a
freelance writer and as a paraprofes-
sional for the Byron School District.
The students received their
awards Jan. 28 at the Minnesota
Newspaper Associations annual
convention in Bloomington.
Zech Sindt
Grace Boyum
Tracie Lee

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Pantone 4
By Anne Miller
Managing Editor
The Fall 2016-Spring 2017 scholar-
ship application portal has been open
since Dec. 21.
These scholarships are open to
students who plan to attend Rochester
Community and Technical College for
the 2016-2017 academic year or for
those graduating this spring and plan-
ning to pursue studies elsewhere. The
application deadline is March 4.
There are more than 200 scholarships
available starting at $100 and going up
to as high as $3,000, with $1,000 being
the most frequently awarded. Donors,
who are greatly appreciated by the
RCTC Foundation, make these scholar-
ships possible.
This year, there are new and en-
hanced features to help make applying
easier. There is now a secure sign in
with Star ID and password with a save
ability to finish and edit applications at a
later time which is good for essays. Stu-
dent information such as name, address,
major, credits taken, and GPA are now
auto filled. Also an auto apply feature is
available that will automatically apply
for all eligible scholarships based on cri-
teria. Students can still go in and apply
for certain scholarships if they like.
For scholarship descriptions, tips,
and resources please visit www.rctc.edu/
foundation/html/scholarships.html and
click on the respective tab that would
pertain to you, either returning student
or graduating student.
For additional information or ques-
tions please contact RCTC Foundation
Office at the Heintz Center RM HC109,
call (507) 281-7771, or email founda-
tion@rctc.edu.
It is possible to receive more than one
scholarship, so students are encouraged
to apply.
Scholarship applications
are due by March 4
By Ellen Corbett
Staff Writer
ellen.corbett2829@mb.rctc.edu
On Student Success Day, representatives from various colleges around the tri-state area and
Chicago came and talked to RCTC students about the prospect of transferring.
The Transfer Showcase was held in CF206/208 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the fol-
lowing schools in attendance: University of Wisconsin-River Falls, University of Wisconsin-
Stout, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Upper Iowa University, Minneapolis College of
Art and Design, St. Catherine’s University, Winona State University, St. Mary’s University and
Columbia College Chicago.
There were fewer schools in attendance this year compared to last year’s Transfer Show-
case due to Student Success Day falling much earlier in the semester.
Students had the opportunity to come in and ask school representatives about potential
scholarships, transferring credits, tuition costs and the facilities they had to offer. Lunch was
funded by Art Club, and the event was planned by RCTC art instructor Catherine Egenberger.
Transfer Showcase offers
look at 4-year universities
Scott Fortner meets with representatives from Minnesota State University Mankato.
Echo Photo by Caleb Davis

4 OPINION
February 2016
Volume 84, Issue 5
CC-209
507-285-7246
RCTCecho@gmail.com
www.rctc.edu/echo
Editor-in-Chief
Rachel Halverson
Managing Editor
Anne Miller
Graphics Manager
Ben Miller
Sports Editor
Ben Miller
Photo Editor
Caleb Davis
Arts/Entertainment Editor
Jonathan Knecht
Business Manager/
Advertising Sales
Luke Buehler
Staff Writers
Eden Walech-Roth
Ellen Corbett
Betty Truitt
Zechariah Sindt
Faculty Adviser
Dwight Boyum
We want to hear from
our readers. Send your
comments, story ideas
or upcoming events to:
rctcecho@gmail.com
The Echo is a free publication
written by RCTC students who
are dedicated to freedom of
press, while reporting on issues
affecting the student body, faculty,
administration and staff. Letters
to the editor are subject to editing
for content and length, and opinions
expressed within The Echo do not
necessarily reflect the views of
Rochester Community and Technical
College’s administration, faculty,
staff or student body.
“I have never let my schooling interfere
with my education.”
— Mark Twain
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EchO
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By Jonathan Knecht
Arts and Entertainment Editor
jonathan.knecht3387@mb.rctc.edu
A startling increase in gun violence in 2015 has sparked an ongoing
back-and-forth debate in the American news media.
During the entire Vietnam War, around 58,000 soldiers lost their
lives. We lose a similar amount of Americans to gun homicides every
five years on our own soil according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. When accidental deaths and suicides are added to this
number, it increases almost fivefold.
At a recent public discussion forum on gun violence, hosted by
the Post-Bulletin, members of the community were invited to discuss
possible solutions to this madness. Many proposed solutions involved
further education on firearms for US citizens, including school-age
children. At this point one must ask, is it really necessary for a child,
regardless of age, to know how to handle a weapon? What does that say
about our society having this thought even appearing in some peoples’
minds? Have we become so attached to this object with no purpose
other than harm, that rather than regulate their use and purchase we
want to expose our children to these horrors in the vague hope that they
will understand the dangers?
Not only do many Americans keep a loaded firearm in their homes,
they also often leave these within reach of a child. Instead of simply
moving the gun to a secure location, or keeping the ammunition sepa-
rate and out of reach, they propose to spend even more tax dollars and
have classes on guns taught in schools. Can’t parents just teach their
children about compassion and love, and keep their guns far away from
the natural curiosity of children?
The question of what the average civilian uses their weapons for was
also brought up during the meeting. Many of the attendees said they use
their weapons for hunting and sport. In more than a handful of other
countries outside of the United States this is also the case, however,
these countries experience gun violence at not even half the rate we do.
Granted, there are at least three times as many inhabitants in the fifty
states as there are in your average European country, but then again,
these countries also have an exponentially higher population density.
I admit, the grass is always greener on the other side, and it is hard
to compare Americans to Europeans when we have such different
mindsets. However, when we are faced with such overwhelmingly
positive facts regarding gun control and other countries, why do we
find it so difficult to even bother reaching for that other side? Certainly
the amount of American high school graduates is at the highest point in
history, but our average intelligence seems to be dropping faster than a
marble off the Empire State Building, when we look at yearly reports
of literacy and mathematical prowess compared to other developed
countries. There must be something we can do to combat this unfortu-
nate turn of events and finally address the issue that gun violence poses
in our great country.
I believe the solution that we are looking for lies within ourselves.
We should not be thinking about what others can do to stop gun
violence, whether it be homicidal, suicidal, or accidental. We need to
think about what we as individuals can do to stop acts of violence from
occurring in the first place. If you have a friend or family member who
seems to be having trouble dealing with something in their life, offer
them help. You never know whose life you may be saving.
Solution to gun violence lies within us
By Rachel Halverson
Editor in Chief
How much do you know about
security protocols on campus?
After one of my photography
critiques last semester, I was highly
alarmed when one of my friends
informed me on just how late they’d
stayed in a lab to get their work done
the night before.
“I didn’t leave until about 11:30
last night,” she told me.
I was more than a little shocked
and a bit worried. After finding out
that they were all right and then let-
ting them know that was probably
not the greatest or smartest idea, I
started to look into security proto-
cols that we have here on campus.
This is my third semester here, and
I didn’t know for sure what sort of
protocols we have in place. Sure,
everyone has seen the posters on the
doors that tell you what to do in case
of different emergencies, but have
you ever read them? After this late
night escapade though, I decided to
find out for sure. The biggest thing
that bothered me though was that
security should have come by and
cleared the lab, right?
After doing some digging, I
found that on one particular eve-
ning, things had been overlooked in
that hall due to one of the security
officers being sick and then some
miscommunication among the rest of
the officers doing their rounds. That
resulted in the lab that this student
was working in not getting checked.
I was assured it was a one-time
thing, and I have no reason to think
otherwise. But it still stands that stu-
dents really should know better than
to be on campus that late.
Between the main campus and
the Heintz Center, Security is pretty
busy. How can we, as students, help
them out a bit?
Those at the security office
would highly recommend that you
read the policies and procedures
that we have here on campus.
You can find them by going onto
RCTC’s website and simply typing
a “policies” search.
Then, there are the simple sched-
ule issues. Security starts clos-
ing things up by 9:45 p.m. every
weekday evening and students are
expected to be gone by then. Secu-
rity themselves are gone between
10:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. The
typical computer labs are closed
by 8 p.m. every night. If you are in
a lab that you have checked a key
out for from the library, then you
need to have the key returned to the
library fifteen minutes before they
close. Monday through Thursday,
that is 8:45 p.m., Friday 4:15 p.m.,
and on the weekend it’s 4:45 p.m.
Campus actually closes at 5 p.m. on
weekends, and that means students
should be gone or at least leaving
by 4:45 p.m. If a staff or faculty
member wants to stay late any day
of the week, they are allowed to. If
you are a student on campus with
a staff or faculty member, you can
stay as well, but you have to have
specific permission! Security is
allowed to ask for your student ID
and if you refuse to give it to them,
it can lead to other problems, such
as calling the police.
Keeping track of scheduling is
one way you can help security out.
Again, I encourage you to look up
the security protocols that are in
place and do your best to follow
them and help security out a little.
A little deed can go a long way, and
life will be made easier for every-
one.
Security protocols?

TRAVEL 5
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By Jonathan Knecht
The first thing I experienced in
Iceland was the complete lack of
daylight until about 10:30 a.m.,
which was not made any more
bearable by the steady fall of rain
and sheet of clouds overhead.
It must be mentioned that this
was the end of fall and Iceland lies
so far to the north that some of it
lies within the Arctic Circle, but it
was discouraging nonetheless. My
travel companion and I arrived at
the airport in Keflavik around 6
a.m. local time, and we were not to
be picked up by the company we
rented a camper from for another
three hours, so we set out trying to
find caffeine and nourishment.
While there was a large duty-
free store right next to the baggage
claim area, we didn’t particularly
feel like eating chocolate or chips
this early in the morning, so we
wandered about looking for a café
or eatery of some sort. In the ar-
rival hall, we finally found a café
to at least quench our thirst for that
lovely black brew we call coffee.
The café had some pseudo-hipster
name I can’t quite recall and a
menu with coffee choices I could
count on one hand, and prices that,
having already exchanged my US
dollars for Icelandic kroner and
noted the exchange rate, seemed
pretty steep, but I figured that was
to be expected in an airport. All in
all, the staff was very friendly and
spoke English amazingly well, so
paying around $8 for two 6-ounce
cups of coffee didn’t hurt as much
as it perhaps should have.
Before embarking on this trip,
I had heard from a few different
people that Iceland is supposed to
be a relatively affordable place.
Now that I have spent a week
there, I must say I disagree, at least
for the most part.
Being a full-time college
student, I of course didn’t want to
shell out more of my hard-earned
cash than I needed to, meaning that
my companion and I opted to rent
an affordable camper rather than
a hotel and rental car, and cook as
often as possible rather than eat
out. This made for a rather uncom-
fortable trip, as we had to cook
outdoors with a camping stove,
and although there is an abundance
of public hot springs with facili-
ties, it was more adventurous than
we had bargained for.
Driving through Iceland for
a full week really allowed us to
experience the beautiful volcanic
landscapes and geological sights
up close. The most notable thing
about Iceland is its lack of horti-
culture. A lot of the land is covered
in green, yet 90 percent of that is
the moss that grows almost every-
where on the volcanic rock that
makes up the country, as Iceland
only has one native bush-like
tree that grows to a paltry maxi-
mum of 7 feet or so. They have
planted other kinds of trees such as
spruces, but these are few and far
between.
Travelling along the main roads
of Iceland, one can see the ocean
on one side almost all of the time,
and further north there are a hand-
ful of incredible snow-covered
mountain ranges towards the
center of the country.
At this time of the year, Iceland
regrettably lives up to its name.
Not a day went by where the wind
was not blowing and snow or rain
did not fall. In all seriousness, if
you plan on seeing Iceland in the
winter, go for about three full days,
get a hotel room in the capital city
Reykjavik, and take tourist-friend-
ly day trips to the noteworthy
sights in the southwestern region
of the island. This approach, while
a little more costly, will be much
more comfortable and you will
enjoy the experience more. The
two things that I would recom-
mend over anything else are the
famous Blue Lagoon, a large com-
plex containing a naturally fed,
geothermal pool that is basically a
miracle drug for your skin, and the
Pingvellir National Park, which of-
fers diving, an amazing waterfall,
and a giant rift in the Earth where
two tectonic plates collide among
other sights.
Reykjavik itself offers plenty
of opportunities for shopping,
including their famous Icelandic
wool sweaters, eating of all sorts,
and entertainment in the evenings.
There are a few noteworthy sights
to see in town, and if your hotel
is within the city center (most of
them are), you can walk to almost
anywhere you’d like, so long as
you are dressed warmly enough.
Be forewarned, the average
cost of a meal in town will cost
you about 30 dollars per person
at a restaurant and even around
15 dollars if you decide to eat fast
food. Most hotels offer breakfast
at no additional cost however, so
if you are only staying for a few
days, the cost of the trip will not
bring your bank account to its
knees.
As mentioned before, the vast
majority of Icelanders speak
English, so well in fact that some
of them could be mistaken for
native speakers. They are friendly
enough, and though they don’t
even have a word in their language
for “please,” they are quite courte-
ous and ready to assist in any way
they can.
In conclusion, seeing Iceland
and experiencing some of the
geological wonders it has to offer
was stunningly beautiful. Despite
the expense, I believe it would
have been a better move to either
go camping in the summer, or stay
in a cozy hotel in the capital.
Iceland: Freezing cold, yet beautiful to behold
This waterfall is one of the many glorious landscapes in Iceland.
Echo Photo by Jonathan Knecht
Echo Photo by Jonathan Knecht
This bay lies along the west coast of Iceland

6 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
By Ellen Corbett
Staff Writer
ellen.corbett2829@mb.rctc.edu
From Jan. 27-29, RCTC had the pleasure to host Cesar Forero, a Canadian artist from Toronto who
graduated from RCTC in 2000. He is a Colombian born artist who graduated from Mankato State Uni-
versity after attending RCTC.
Forero’s work in the gallery is mainly paintings on canvas from his project “The Message,” with
the addition of a performance during the opening reception of the gallery on Jan. 28. The performance
included five participants: Othelmo Da Silva, Simon Huelsbeck, Catherine Egenberger, and Lillyam
Arroyave reading a poem and marking the paper on the floor with a marker, with Ruth Casper singing it,
while Forero and a partner, RCTC student Brenna Mosser, danced. Originally, Forero was supposed to
be at RCTC on that Monday, but due to the snow in New York, he could not get to RCTC until Wednes-
day. The entire dance performance was practiced in that short time.
Forero’s artistic background is in architecture, sculpture, painting and public performance. His focus
in his work is humanity’s tie to the universe and environmental impact. In his work, Forero draws on
how older civilizations interacted with the planet, and how it was the most important thing to them. “We
take so much from the planet, and we give very little back,” Forero said.
His paintings also show his interest in geometry, star formations, and ancient civilizations. One
painting references the fact that the pyramids of Giza were built in line with the belt of the constellation
Orion, while another references the fact that Stonehenge lines up with the magnetic North Pole.
Students are invited to draw on the large piece of paper on the floor in the gallery. The show will be
up until late February.
‘The Message’features the art of RCTC graduate
Echo Photo by Rachel Halverson
Echo Photo by Anne Miller
Brenna and Cesar dancing at the reception
Back row: Lillyam; Middle row: Othelmo, Catherine, and Simon; Front row: Brenna and Cesar
Viewer looks at exhibited paintings. Farthest right painting references Stonehenge being in alignment with the magnetic North Pole.
Painting referencing alignment of Giza
pyrimads to Orion constellation

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 7
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By Rachel Halverson
Editor-in-Chief
Philip Baias, or just Phil to those who know
him, is in his final year in high school at 17 years
old. He is in his second year as a Post-Secondary
Enrollment Options student at RCTC and has one
more year left to get his associate’s degree. Prior
to coming to RCTC, Phil was homeschooled.
Phil’s major is Music Creative Technol-
ogy. The last two semesters Phil has been in the
Electronic Music Composition classes, and this
semester he is in a Music Video and Light’s class. Phil is talented
in his music classes, often using his beloved electric guitar. In
EMC1 and EMC2, it’s been featured heavily in his final
projects, which were played in the cafeteria during the
last two student recitals.
When asked who his favorite teacher here was, Phil
was reluctant to play favorites. “I really like Denny
(McGuire), and Kevin (Dobbe) is cool. And I like
Chuck (Blattner). And I better have my mom in there,
too!” Phil’s mother, Simona Baias, teaches English and
reading. McGuire, Dobbe, and Blattner are all music
teachers.
When Phil is done here, he is planning on moving
up to the cities where his brother lives. He will do some
more schooling, but nothing “too serious.” He wants to get a job
that is music related, and he thinks it would be fun to play in a
band.
RCTC student looks to find music
career and join a band
Philip Baias
By Jonathan Knecht
Toward the end of this month, theater director
Jerry Casper and a few of his students will be pre-
senting a very new twist on art and theater.
Casper had his students look at works of art dis-
played in RCTC’s own art gallery, and select pieces
to write a short monologue or dialogue on.
So far, Casper and five students have written
pieces to present. Jeff Hand, a professional writer,
assisted the students in refining their scripts for the
final production.
The details are not quite final, as the writers and
Jerry have not yet cast all of their performers. They
are still looking at the possibility of collaborating
with the music department, having them create
some original music for the show.
The production, dubbed TheArté (THēärtā) will
be split up between three separate stages in the
cafeteria and presented for two evenings.
Once everything is complete, this unique col-
laboration built from the ground up by RCTC
students and staff members should make for two
very interesting evenings.
TheArté: A unique collaboration of the fine arts
Jerry Casper

8 SPORTS
By Ben Miller
If you haven’t been able to see the progress of the
Women’s team then you are missing out on what could
be shown as a strong comeback story of the year.
At the start of the season, the Yellowjackets got off
to a very slow start going 0-5 in non-conference play.
Since then the Yellowjackets have gone 10-3, bringing
their record to 10-8.
Coach Steve Hucke said the slow start was attrib-
uted to “one of the toughest non-conference schedules
in a long time, and lots of freshman that were getting
used to college basketball.” Over winter break the Yel-
lowjackets played seven games going 4-3.
On Dec. 19, the Yellowjackets lost against Bismarck
State College 101-82, Jan. 2 was a loss against North
Dakota State College of Science 82-66, Jan. 3
was a win against Hibbing Community College
87-51, Jan. 6 was a win against Ridgewater
College 89-60, Jan. 13 was a win against Min-
nesota State Community and Technical College
54-44, Jan. 16 was a loss against Anoka-
Ramsey Community College 65-55, and Jan.
20 was a win against Minnesota West Commu-
nity and Technical College 93-50.
Hucke credited the turn around to small
lineup changes and a strong team effort. Lead-
ing the team in scoring is Johanna Bungum
with 13.2 points per game. Following behind
with 10.8 points per game Nathalie Ratliff and
10.4 points per game Justine Gonzalez.
Upcoming home games are 6 p.m. Feb.10
against Anoka-Ramsey Community College
and 1 p.m. Feb. 20 against Western Technical
College.
Johanna Bungum at the line for a free throw.
Echo Photo by Caleb Davis
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RCTC Marketing Department
Rochester Community and Technical College Yellowjacket Football team quarterback, Nick Rooney, was named
Male Athlete of the Year at the Rochester Area Sports Banquet held Monday, Jan. 25.
A Minnetonka native, Rooney led the Yellowjackets to an 11-1 season; a Minnesota College Athletic Conference
state title; and a National Junior College Athletic Association championship game appearance, the Mississippi Bowl.
During his playing career, Rooney amassed 11 RCTC records:
• Passing yards in a game at 569
• Passing yards in a season at 4,341
• Passing yards in a career at 7,884
• Highest passing percentage in a season at
67.8%
• Highest passing percentage in a career at
65.5%
• Passing touchdowns in a game at eight
• Passing touchdowns in a season at 57
• Passing touchdowns in a career at 105
• Total offense of 559 yards in a game
• Total offense of 4,304 yards in a season
• Total offense of 7,816 yards in a career
Of these RCTC records, Rooney set three new
NJCAA records: passing touchdowns in a season,
career passing touchdowns, and career passing
yards.
“The RCTC Football program was very
proud to see its quarterback for the last two sea-
sons receive the male athlete of the year award,
said RCTC Head Football Coach Bill Quistorff.
“Nick has had a great career as an RCTC Yel-
lowjacket football player, and could be in the
argument for the greatest RCTC football player
of all time!”
Nick Rooney has been awarded first team Na-
tional Junior College Athletic Association (NJ-
CAA) All-American, first team All-Region, and
first team All-Conference and Division honors.
In addition, Nick was named RCTC Football’s
team MPV and was a four-time NJCAA National
Player of the Week.
RCTC’s Nick Rooney named
Male Athlete of the Year
Nick Rooney throws a pass in the Mississippi Bowl.
RCTC’s womens basketball
on the rebound
Photo courtesy of the Rochester Post Bulletin
The RCTC women’s basketball team
breaks before taking the court against Minnesota West
Community and Technical College.
Freshman guard Johanna Bungum
positions herself on defense against Luther College.
Photo by Carion Hodges

SPORTS 9
14,516
fall 2015 enrollment
100
majors
800
faculty
17:1
student-to-faculty ratio
14
Divison I athletic teams
NDSU is recognized as one of
the nation’s top 108 public and
private universities by the Carnegie
Commission on Higher Education.
STUDENT FOCUSED
NDSU provides a strong commitment to student success and
the advancement of research in all disciplines. The university
offers a dynamic environment for students to participate in
improving themselves and the world around them.
VISIT NDSU
To schedule a campus visit, call the NDSU Office of Admission
at 701-231-8643 or 800-488-NDSU or go to ndsu.edu/visit.
To allow us to make the most of your visit and to set up
specific appointments, contact the Office of Admission five
to seven days in advance.
#studentfocused
By Ben Miller
The men’s basketball team has continued to stay hot after a very strong first half of their regular season. The Yellow-
jackets played four games over our winter break, winning all four games. Currently, the Yellowjackets stand at a record of
14-1 and are ranked No. 4 in the country in the NJCAA polls.
On Jan. 2, the Yellowjackets won against North Dakota College of Science 77-66, Jan. 3 was a win against Dakota
County Technical College 91-79, January 6th was a win against Ridgewater 67-62, and on Jan. 9 they won against River-
land 91-68.
The Yellowjackets have continued to have success with the strong play of their entire team, with six players averaging
double digits in points per game. De-
metrius Cady leads the way averaging
15 points per game, Marquise Walker
and Isaiah Coddon averaging 12
points per game, and Willie Sandi-
fer, Ben Ratliff, and Aaron Samuels
averaging 10 points per game. For the
season, the Yellowjackets are averag-
ing 86 points per game as a team.
The team is hoping to continue
with its consistent play for the rest of
January and head into the last quarter
of the season strong and ready for a
long playoff run.
Upcoming home games are 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 10, against Anoka-
Ramsey Community College and 3
p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 against Western
Technical College.
Sophomore guard Demetrius Cady penetrates against St. Cloud Technical
and Community College.
Yellowjackets continue winning ways
Freshman guard Spencer Tollefson drives to the hoop
against Mesabi Range Community and Technical College.

10 CAMPUS
VITERBO UNIVERSITY
Your Transfer Destination
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· Academic scholarships
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· Articulation agreements in criminal justice
and law enforcement
· Generous credit transfer in other programs
· PhiTheta Kappa partner including scholarship
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900 Viterbo Drive
La Crosse, WI 54601
608-796-3010
1-800-VITERBO
www.viterbo.edu/rctc
admission@viterbo.edu
By Ben Miller
Snitch is a mafia-themed card game that Chad Dahl-
man, a former RCTC student, is developing and trying
to get published through Kickstarter.
Snitch is a four- to six-player
“hidden identity” game that lasts
about 15-30 minutes. It is a “hidden
identity” game because while playing
with a group of four to six friends
and family, each person takes on the
role of a mobster, while one person is
secretly a snitch. The snitch wants to
remain hidden and continue snitching
to the police, while the mobsters on
the other hand want to root out and
whack the snitch! It’s a thrilling mafia
themed version of cat and mouse.
Snitch has been in development for one year. Kick-
starter is currently a popular platform for independent
tabletop game developers to obtain funding needed to
create their games. Chad is using this platform to raise
enough funding to create Snitch, needing $10,000 to
make Snitch and the Snitch Expansion. If someone
were interested in supporting Snitch they would con-
tribute $25 on Kickstarter towards the Snitch campaign
that runs through February 2016, and in turn receive a
copy of Snitch in August 2016. This is pre-paying for
the copy of Snitch, which gives Chad enough cash flow
to manufacture the game, and is risk free to contribu-
tors, as if the $10,000 goal is not reached the $25 is not
charged to the contributors.
As a 2007 alumni of RCTC, Chad owes a lot of his
life’s progress towards the faculty, staff, and qual-
ity education he received at this institution. He took
“generals” for two years at RCTC, which gave him
the foundation to study business at St. Cloud State
University. Working for both IBM and Mayo Clinic in
Rochester he has consulted with numerous
businesses and non-profits in the region,
and has found himself coming back to
RCTC to play test Snitch with the RCTC
Tabletop Gaming Club.
When asked how he came about creat-
ing and developing Snitch he responded
saying, “Snitch is the perfect intersection
for my entrepreneurial spirit and personal
interests. I’ve been a play tester for Fantasy
Flight Games out of Roseville, MN and
wanted to create a game of my own.”
Jeff Lee Johnson, a renowned game illustrator, is
doing Snitch’s artwork. Lee Green, an art director for
a national sports organization, is doing the graphic
design. Both are from Minnesota.
When asked what advice he would give students
who want to create their own games he responded by
saying, “The best advice I can give for someone want-
ing to create a game is to not be afraid to share your
ideas with others. Don’t wait for your game to be per-
fect before sharing, as some of the best design ideas
for Snitch have been from the input of others early on.
Sharing your plans with as many people as possible
makes it likely that you will be connected to the right
resource to make your game happen. This has held true
countless times in the development of Snitch, as people
have a lot to offer and are willing to help.
Can you find the Snitch?
By Anne Miller
Managing Editor
Lancer Hospitality, who runs the cafeteria in both
the UCR Main Campus and Heintz Center have some
new menu options this semester.
Both new menus now include the Aldo’s burger,
mushroom and Swiss Burger, Aldo’s cheeseburger
slider, and Aldo’s chicken tenders. The Aldo’s burger
consists of a beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles,
and Aldo’s sauce. The mushroom and Swiss burger
consist of a beef patty, Portobello mushrooms, Swiss
cheese, roasted red onions, and a balsamic glaze. The
Aldo’s cheeseburger slider is really the same as the
old cheeseburger slider, but with Aldo’s sauce. The
chicken tenders are the same as they were before, but
now come with Aldo’s sauce. The Heintz Center has
an additional new item, the Asiago chicken sandwich
that consists of a grilled chicken breast, caramelized
onions, avocado, tomatoes, basil mayo, arugula, and
Asiago cheese.
What is Aldo’s sauce? It consists of mayonnaise,
ketchup, mustard, hot sauce and spices. As a reminder
lettuce and tomato can be added to the sandwiches and
burgers for 50 cents and gluten-free bread can be sub-
stituted for 50 cents as well. With the menu change,
the Yellowjacket Burger is no longer on the menu.
Head on over to try out the new items or order your
existing favorites.
Aldo’s is the new lunch option
Chad Dahlman
Photo Courtesy of Chad Dahlman
Game Cover
Like free stuff? Then play for prizes
Echo Staff
Each edition for the 2016 spring semester, The Echo will be doing a trivia question for the chance to win
some prizes.
The first three students and one faculty member to come into the Echo office CC209 with the correct answer
each edition, will be able to collect a prize. You can only win once during the semester as we will be taking the
names of the winners. We will be publishing the answer and winners in the editions that follow. Come on in at
anytime during the week as there is almost always someone in the office.
TRIVIA QUESTION
What is the largest U.S. state?
Only one guess per person.

CAMPUS 11
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By Anne Miller
Managing Editor
RCTC welcomes the newest club and
first nursing honor society Alpha Delta Nu.
This honor society is a part of the Delta
Alpha Chapter. The first induction ceremony
for the 16 initial members was held Jan.
21 in Hill Theater. Nursing faculty Susan
Jansen, Dr. Elizabeth Wirt, and Patricia Eng-
strom assisted in the ceremony with the help
of Interim President Joyce Helens and the
Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Safawo Gullo.
Congratulations to the 16 members of
Alpha Delta Nu: Sandy Baiza, Lucas Brown,
Christina Burkhard, Meghan Collins, Mary
Davitt, Bryce Goar, Kelsi Jacobson, Caitlin
Johnson, Abigail Ledvina, Genesis Moreno
Gomez, Megan Melendez, Shana Neujahr,
Mandy Norstad, Elisa Pogalz, Samantha
Porcher, and Ruthann Prigge.
Students are eligible for admission to this
honor society if their cumulative grade point
average is 3.0 or higher in all their nursing
classes and demonstrate conduct that reflects
integrity and professionalism in all clinical
areas.
New members of Alpha Delta Nu
By Betty Truitt
Staff Writer
Elizabeth.Truitt6915@mb.rctc.edu
1. Got permanent marker on your skin. Go over the marks with a high-
lighter. It will rub right off.
2. Keep your white sneakers white this winter. Spray them with Scotch-
Guard. It is much cheaper than any shoe product spray and it works just as
well.
3. It you have to charge your phone at a friend’s house. Leave your car
keys by your phone so you can’t leave without it.
4. Coffee maker not working? Place a scoop of coffee grounds into a filter.
Tie it up into a ball with some flavorless dental floss and use like a tea bag!
5. Cookie Bowls. Press the cookie dough on the bottom and sides of a cup
cake tin. Bake as usual. When baked and cooled remove and put ice cream in
them.
Hacks you won’t learn in school
Have you written a poem or enjoy writing
poetry? If so, please consider submitting
your poem to Dr. David Kassler, an adjunct
professor of music at RCTC, at David.
Kassler@RCTC.edu.
Dr. Kassler is a noted composer and has
had his compositions performed on numer-
ous university campuses throughout the
United States. His “Trio Sonata for Clarinet,
Euphonium and Piano “was performed by
the Rochester Chamber Music Society this
fall.
He has received a McKnight Foundation
Grant in the past for performances of his
music.
Dr. Kassler is looking for a set of poems
that he will set to music. These will be per-
formed by a professional choir accompanied
by a small instrumental ensemble next fall at
various locations in Rochester and Mankato.
This is an opportunity to hear your poetry
elevated through music and performed by
highly qualified professional musicians.
Recordings of the performances along with
the music and text will be submitted to noted
music publishing companies for publication.
Have your poem set to music
Nu Nursing Honor Society

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Completion Plan: RCTC and Augsburg RN to BSN
Following a defined pathway, you can earn your associate degree in
nursing from RCTC, then seamlessly transfer to Augsburg to complete
your BSN in as little as one year.
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augsburg.edu/rochester
Jane Macken ’10
By Eden Walech-Roth
Staff Writer
eden.walech-roth8803@mb.rctc.edu
Former RCTC instructor Matt Hafar spent the
2013-2014 school year teaching in Slovakia.
Hafar stayed in a one-room apartment that the
school he worked with provided. “It was one room
that was a combination living room and bedroom and
it had a little kitchen at the end. I didn’t mind hav-
ing much less space than I was used to. It was easy to
walk every place that I needed to get to.”
With few tourists in Slovakia, it’s easy to get
around. You can go almost anywhere on the train.
Sometimes on the weekends he would go someplace
and just see amazing things. Once you get out of the
bigger city you can see simpler life, where people
have small houses, no cars, and live a more rural
life. “Even the cities were very different.” Slovakia
has preserved churches that are just made out
of wood, including the decorations, which
are painted to look like other things, such as
marble. He also didn’t expect to see so many
castles. “It (Slovakia) was all part of the Com-
munist part of Europe. Exploring all these
places was really great. The country is fairly
mountainous with lots of little valleys.”
At Christmas time, he met some folk musi-
cians through the church, and he learned how
to play several of their instruments, including
several different flutes. By the time the year was
over, he had played a few times out in public
with them. “I wouldn’t say I mastered them (the
flutes), but I got good enough to play a little
harmony out in public with them. We played at
a couple of festivals. We played in front of large
groups of people. They like folk music. They
are very proud of their heritage.”
During his stay, Matt traveled to other
countries as well. “Slovakia is not a very big
country; it’s smaller than the state of Iowa. I went to
Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany. It’s also
very cheap to fly from one place to another in Europe.
On one weekend I went to Denmark to find some
churches where my relatives had been before they
came to the U.S.”
For Easter, he and his friends took a bus trip to
Rome. “It was a good example of how our cultures
were different. ‘Bring some snacks,’ they said. My
friends were irritated with me because I didn’t bring
very much food. They had brought things that I
thought should be refrigerated, just in their pockets.
We didn’t stop for food once, and it was a 20-hour bus
ride. It never occurred to me that we wouldn’t stop at
a rest stop that had vending machines or go past a — I
wasn’t expecting McDonald’s — but a place that had
food... Then we saw the Pope on Easter Sunday.”
To learn more about Hafar’s trip to Slovakia, check
out his blog at hafarm.wordpress.com.
Slovakia teaches Matt Hafar
Photo courtesy of Matt Hafar
Photo courtesy of Matt Hafar
Matt Hafar with Slovakian instrument
Matt Hafar and Slovakian friends play folk music
Slovakian Flag www.bestfon.info

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